An Ardent Refusal of Wedlock
by Jannet Doe
Summary: OOC one shot! An exceedingly stubborn and dim Elizabeth, and an annoyed Darcy, who is definitely not in love with her yet and won't beg to alter her views of him. NO HEA.


Miss Elizabeth Bennet had been at Netherfield Hall for a few days to nurse her sister Jane, who had fallen ill when coming to dine with his host's sisters, Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst. After her short stay, somehow, malicious gossip arose in Meryton, which said they had spent much time alone at Netherfield, and that Miss Elizabeth Bennet and he, were lovers. This was nonsense of course, as he would never treat a Lady thus.

Consequently, he had done what was required of a gentleman. He, albeit reluctantly, he had to admit, had offered marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. This young woman though, he had thought so intelligent and kind, was full of spite. After their first interview, Darcy concluded he must have been wrong about her, and although he knew he could not marry some misguided, dim-witted, country girl, certainly without any dowry and connections, his honour and duty to his good name, came first. She refused his hand in matrimony. Her father though, shocked by his favourite daughters reply, had asked for more time to reason with her. His honour demanded to consent, thus he had grudgingly agreed with Mr Bennet's request.

Hence, Darcy had come to Longbourn again, this time in heavy precipitation in order to resolve the uncertainty that the earlier meeting had produced. After some fruitless discussion with Mr Bennet about Miss Elizabeth, he called his daughter to his study. By now Darcy had become decidedly irritable, as he felt that the travesty playing out had gone on long enough.

He resolved that this _was_ going to be the last time he would lower himself and ask her for her hand. When she entered he asked decisively, "Miss Bennet, will you accept my hand in marriage, to contain the consequences of this grievous gossip?"

"No, I will not!" Miss Bennet stated definitely, while her dislike for him radiate from her fine eyes, which had shocked him the first time she made her antagonism known, although after some reflection he could not care less.

There, he had done more than his duty.

She had refused his hand in marriage once more, which astonished him as belatedly he had had a slight suspicion that it had been the Bennet's themselves whom had spread that rumour, forcing a match when they had detected his growing interest in the young lady.

"You are aware of the repercussions if we do not marry?"

"Yes! I just want you to go and leave me alone." She spat.

Her father interfered somewhat desperately, "think of your mother and sisters, Elizabeth!" he urged.

"How can I marry a man such as he is, papa? His treatment of dear Mr Wickham is abominable, his arrogance and selfish disdain for the feeling of others is deplorable, Mr Darcy is not worthy of the term gentleman. I'd rather marry my cousin instead." She declared passionately, brimming with indignation.

Well, that did it; she preferred that idiot over him. Then she would have Mr Collins, he rejoiced in his imminent escape.

Darcy spoke his next words with deliberation, "While I close the subject of marriage between us right now, I need to ask you something before I go." Mr Bennet nodded, clearly overcome by his daughter's obstinate attitude, so Darcy continued. "Did your precious friend, Mr Wickham, tell you, he himself declined the living and I paid him three thousand pounds instead of the living, on top of his inheritance of a thousand pounds, because he rather wanted to study the law?"

The Bennet's expressed their shock of hearing that by their mouths falling open simultaneously. "No." Mr Bennet uttered with difficulty, looking askance at Miss Bennet who stayed quiet with her mouth still somewhat open while her fine eyes now showed shock.

"I thought so! Or perhaps he told you that I paid many of his debts when we were still friends, and even after that, both debts of honour and to tradesmen, saving him from debtor's prison?" Darcy asked slightly derisive.

Both Bennet's shook their heads silently.

"And then we have not even spoken of all the poor young girls he has ruined, being commoners, tradesmen's, or gentlemen's daughters." Both the Bennet's shook their heads in agitated incredulity.

"At least _he_ does not discriminate, or feels himself above anybody, right? You could have asked me if his accusations were true." He glanced at Miss Bennet who nodded dumbly, he resumed, "well, you did not and I will take my leave now. I wish you all well and may God bless you and your family."

Elizabeth and her father could not utter a word; such was their astonishment at the enlightenment they had received about Elizabeth's favourite.

And so Mr Darcy left Longbourn without taking leave of the rest of the Bennet's and waded his way back to Netherfield, to leave the county as soon as the roads were dry enough to reach London.

The next time he saw Miss Bennet, now Mrs Collins, was in the spring the following year, when he visited his aunt and cousin de Bourgh at Rosings. He did feel sorry for her as she had altered a lot, her lively eyes were dulled, and her manner was subdued, as her husband and his obnoxious Aunt, Lady Catherine, chided her regularly to improve her impertinent and to lively ways.

Elizabeth's husband was otherwise extremely proud that his wife had favoured him over the handsome and wealthy Mr Darcy, which was clear when Collins gleefully and triumphantly smirked at him, every single time he encountered him at Rosings.

Darcy was not bothered by the man's attitude at all, as he had done his duty and behaved as a gentleman should, he would only smile enigmatic, and wished them well.

His friend Bingley had ended his lease of Netherfield at the earliest moment, due to his sister's insistence that Jane Bennet did not love him as he did her.

Later that summer, Darcy heard from his aunt that that poor chit Lydia Bennet had left all her friends and had run of with, of all people, Wickham. Mr Bennet had not survived the ordeal and Mr and Mrs Collins returned shortly after to Longbourn in order to take over the estate. That was the last thing he ever heard of the Bennet's.

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 **Outrageously Out of Canon,** **Characters!** This idea for a one shot comes from the playground theme of July/August 2016 on one of my favourite JAFF sites. Please understand that this means that Darcy and Lizzy are acting OOC in this one shot! I mean no harm. :D

I have brought this out of the recesses of my laptop now, faults and all, because I read too many stubborn and dense Lizzy's at the moment, I need to do something to let her see what can be the consequences of her behaviour, Darcy has his Pride Comes Before the Fall. LOL

No insult to any current story intended, they are all fabulous, as sad as it sounds I would be lost without them right now.

 **If you are so kind to leave a review, please let it be a kind and/or constructive one.**

Regarding Duped and the Darcy Twins, physically I'm a little better than last year, but I still have a lot of issues with my health, this means my brain fog is still there most of the time, and the consequence of that is that I do not oversee the events in my longer stories, yet. I hope you will not hate me after this silly piece and I promise that the two stories' I need to finish, are not forgotten. Furthermore, I thank all the people whom have left reviews or send PM's encouraging me to start writing again. The reason I don't reply is because I just don't know what to say, as soon as I want to type my response, my mind draws a blank.


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